Draw Muhammad Day

To some degree every religious group thinks every other religious group is wrong. I think this is a case of targetting the one group who seem to think, not only does everybody else have it all wrong, but that everybody else had better believe the same as them. Most believers seem to believe that everyone who doesn't think like them will get their come-uppance in the next life but only muslim extremists seem to feel that the draconian rules they apply to themselves should apply to everyone else. They need to be made to understand that they are not welcome in civilized society unless they can behave in a civilized manner.

No one is suggesting their mosques should be vandalized or their homes defaced. All that is being suggested is that people assert their right to write or draw what ever they want in the public arena without being threatened with violence. It's unfortunate that many peaceful, non-agressive islamic people may feel offended by some of the images they see or articles they read. They have a right to not buy the paper or turn off the TV or change the channel or pick up a pen or keyboard and respond and that is exactly what most of them do. They do not have a right to not be offended. Offense is in the eye of the beholder and nobody gets to dictate the actions of others based on their assessment of what is offensive.

I would not normally advocate agitating or provoking anybody (or any insect!) but what choice do they leave us? Currently muslims are the only group actually rioting, burning buildings, murdering people, etc when they get their panties in a bunch but there are people with "fatwa envy" who suggest that other religious groups should be cranky and brutal, too. Unfortunately they don't seem to understand that people might be more sympathetic to their feelings if they behaved like reasonable civilized people. I don't really think islam deserves any less or any more respect than any other religion (and that's not much) but caving to their demands will only strenthen their sense of entitlement since they either don't understand or don't care about the difference between fear and respect.

I would never go and poke a stick in a hornets nest but if some of the hornets are going to sting my BBQ guests then you can bet I'm going to get out the fuckin' Raid. I'm sure most muslim people would far prefer that their more extreme brethren would just relax a bit and try to get along than suffer the kind of backlash that I think is inevitable.

My submission, a day early but I probably wont be able to upload it tomorrow. Also, I can't draw so I just made a cut/paste picture. I call it Mo'sass. Bible humor... lol.

Honour the Prophet Muhammad (S.A.W) | Facebook
This is the appropriate response to "Everybody Draw Muhammad Day" by the islamic community.

Despite some of the threats I've seen coming from some of the members of this website, they do keep pretty civil.

There will always be loose bowels in the shitstorm.

Alright, I'll throw down my thoughts:

Should 'Everybody draw mohammed day' be removed?
No.
I hold strong to the saying: "I may not agree with what you say, but I will fight to the death your right to say it". Chomsky also has a saying that goes like that too: "If you do not believe in freedom of speech for those you despise, you don't believe in it at all".

Is it all good?
No.
Some of those pics were pretty bad and do not follow the original intent of the protest. Drawing depictions of him with lewd and explicit sexual scenarios and threatening hate speech isn't appropriate anywhere.

Is it just an inflammatory stunt?
No.
It marginalizes the chilling effects that death threats are supposed to have on people.
It also spotlights the obscure idea that simply drawing something is offensive.
It is completely non-violent.
It pushes back on islam's censorship on emotional mediums like art. And actually, if you look at it closer...

By saying that depicting mohammed is blasphemy, they can remove communication in this medium, effectively stopping people who are more open to this type of communication. Thus, people who are less rational and more emotional are never shown the other end of the spectrum in their own type of expression.

Does the ends justify the means?
Yes.
-This kind of protest actually solves the problem. It makes people no longer afraid of Islam threats.
-It exposes the slippery slope of islam's demands in the name of tolerance. Most people will accept that you should respect religion, but once you start demanding that nobody can draw about it, people will turn; the gig is up.

Molly Norris, the cartoonist who was reported as having come up with the whole "Everyone Draw Mohammad Day" has come out in opposition to the event.
Molly Norris Art Sculpture Criticism Lovelace Watkins English Bulldog